Rear-loading side-dumping slag pot carrier

ABSTRACT

The apparatus to be described comprises a trolley and track disposed crosswise of the carrying vehicle positioned between its front and rear wheels and elevated above the vehicle frame. At an end of the trolley track a cradle is affixed so as to tilt about a horizontal axis normal to the track. The trolley is provided with lifting hooks adapted to engage the trunnions of a slag pot resting on the ground and lift it above the vehicle frame. The cradle is provided with upstanding hooks which receive the slag pot trunnions when the pot is moved by the trolley into the cradle. Means are provided to tilt the cradle. The cradle frame is open toward the trolley so that the cradle partially encloses the slag pot during the dumping operation. The vehicle frame is of the fork or wishbone type open at the rear so that the vehicle can be backed to enclose a slag pot resting on the ground.

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 717,646, filed Aug. 25,1976, now abandoned.

This invention relates to apparatus for in-plant roadway transport anddumping of slag pots and the like. It is more particularly concernedwith such apparatus which is backed around a slag pot to pick it up, butdumps the pot broadside of the carrying vehicle.

RELATED PATENT

The apparatus of my invention is similar in some respects to that of myU.S. Pat. No. 3,897,881, but is different in other respects.

THE PROBLEM AND THE PRIOR ART

Apparatus for the rear loading and dumping of slag pots and the like isknown and is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,791, Kress U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,446,378 and 3,825,135, Sjostrom, U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,720, andMiller U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,378, for example. One drawback of suchapparatus is that a disproportionately large fraction of the load weightis carried by the rear wheels. It is also somewhat difficult to securethe slag pot during the dumping operation. Those drawbacks are notpresent in the apparatus of my U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,881 above mentioned.In that apparatus the slag pot is carried between the front and rearwheels of the vehicle and is both picked up and loaded broadside of thevehicle. It is advantageous to dump the slag pot from the side ratherthan the rear of the carrying vehicle, in several respects, a principalone being that the hot slag is not poured out adjacent the rubber-tiredwheels of the vehicle. In some steel making shops, however, the floorlayouts makes it more convenient to load the slag pots from the rear ofthe vehicle than from the side, and this advantage is present in theapparatus to be described hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of my invention to provide slag transport apparatus inwhich the load is distributed relatively evenly between front and rearwheels. It is another object to provide such apparatus employing aplurality of wheels in tandem both at front and rear. It is stillanother object to provide such apparatus with positive means for holdingthe slag pot during the dumping operation. Other objects of my inventionwill appear in the course of the description thereof which follows.

My apparatus to be described comprises a trolley and track disposedcrosswise of the carrying vehicle positioned between its front and rearwheels and elevated above the vehicle frame. At an end of the trolleytrack a cradle is affixed so as to tilt about a horizontal axis normalto the track. The trolley is provided with lifting hooks adapted toengage the trunnions of a slag pot resting on the ground and lift itabove the vehicle frame. The cradle is provided with upstanding hookswhich receive the slag pot trunnions when the pot is moved by thetrolley into the cradle. Means are provided to tilt the cradle. Thecradle frame is open toward the trolley so that the cradle partiallyencloses the slag pot during the dumping operation. The vehicle frame isof the fork or wishbone type open at the rear so that the vehicle can bebacked to enclose a slag pot resting on the ground.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of my invention presently preferred by me are illustrated inthe attached Figures, to which reference is now made:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of my invention showingthe slag pot in travelling position.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the trolleyremoved, the slag pot broken away, and the cradle in position to dump.

FIG. 3 is a rear end elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1, partly brokenaway.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of a portion of my trailer apparatus as shownin FIG. 2 taken on the plane IV--IV of that Figure.

FIG. 5 is a like cross section of my apparatus as shown in FIG. 2, butwith the cradle and slag pot in the dumping position.

FIG. 6 is a detail in plan of the cradle.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the cradle of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation of the cradle of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of my inventionshowing the slag pot resting on the ground ready to be picked up.

FIG. 10 is an end elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 9 showing the slagpot in its fully dumped position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION; FIRST EMBODIMENT

My apparatus is suitable for conventional slag pots of any design. It ishere described and illustrated in connection with a conventional slagpot 10 of circular plan and tapering outwardly from base to top providedwith a pair of trunnions 11 along a pot diameter (FIG. 1). The trunnionsproject from the conical pot wall as bosses 12, each of which has abottom face 13 adapted to rest on a flat horizontal surface.

In its first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, my apparatus to bedescribed is carried by a wheeled trailer vehicle 15 pulled by aconventional multiple axle tractor 16. Trailer 15 is of the low-boytype, so called, comprising a load-carrying center bed section 17positioned between the rear wheels 18 of the tractor and wheels 19 oftrailer 15 at a level approximately that of the axles of wheels 19. Thefront end of center bed section 17 is affixed to a front end element 20which is pivotally supported on tractor 16 in a known manner. The rearend of center bed section 17 is affixed at each side to a draft beam 22,and each draft beam 22 is supported by at least one pair of wheels 19,at least one wheel mounted on each side of the beam. No axle connectsthe pair of wheels 19 on one side of trailer 15 with the correspondingpair on the other side, nor does any structural member connect draftbeams 22 except as is hereinafter described.

The front end of center bed section 17 is braced by a floor structure 24affixed to both side members thereof. The rear edge 25 of structure 24is cut away so that the structure 24 extends further toward the rear ofcenter bed section 17 along its sides than it does in the middle, for apurpose also to be described.

At each end of center bed section 17 uprights 27 on each side support anelevated transverse trolley rail beam 28, which extends somewhat beyonddraft beams 22 on each side of trailer 15. A trolley 30 runs on doubleflanged wheels 31 along rails 29. Trolley 30 is provided with means 32for propelling it along rails 29, and also with hoisting means 34. Thosemeans are adapted to raise and lower a pair of hooks 33 contoured tolift slag pot 10 by its trunnions 11.

On one side of center bed section 17 a pair of brackets 35 affixedthereto and extending outwardly thereof journal a horizontal shaft 36parallel to the side of trailer 15. Affixed to shaft 36 between brackets35 is a cradle 37 comprising an outwardly bowed cross member 38 and apair of parallel side members 39, one affixed to each end of crossmember 38 (FIGS. 6-8). The ends of arms 39 adjoining yoke 38 are formedinto short downwardly projecting legs 40, the lower ends of which areattached to shaft 36. The inner ends 41 of side members 39 end in lugs42 inclined downwardly therefrom at an obtuse angle. The upper surface44 of each end 41 is flat and formed with an upstanding shoulder 45intermediate its length. Pivotally attached at their lower ends to oneside of center bed section 17 below cradle 37 are two hydrauliccylinders 46, one under each side member 39 of that cradle. A piston rod47 projects from the upper end of each cylinder 46 and, when cradle 37is horizontal, rests against the under side of lug 42 but is notattached thereto. Affixed to the outside face of each side member 39 andprojecting upwardly therefrom is an inverted hook 48 contoured to fitover a slag pot trunnion 11, and spaced apart from each other a distancesufficient to span the slag pot and fit over its trunnions when the slagpot is resting in cradle 37.

A hydraulic cylinder 49 is mounted on floor structure 24 transverselythereof at its forward end. Its piston rod 50 is attached to one block51 of a conventional block and tackle arrangement. The other block 52 isaffixed to the foot of an upright member 53 which is also mounted on thefloor structure 24 spaced from cylinder 49 (FIGS. 3-5). The upper end ofmember 53 carries a pulley 55. The free end of cable 56 from block 52 istrained over pulley 55 and attached to side member 39 of cradle 37nearer the front end of trailer 15.

OPERATION OF FIRST EMBODIMENT

The clear open space between opposite inside wheels 19 of my trailer 15is greater than the width of the slag pots to be accommodated. Theclearance above ground of beams 28 is also greater than the height of aslag pot resting on the ground. Thus, trailer 15 is backed over a fullslag pot by tractor 16 until hooks 33 carried by trolley 30 are alignedlengthwise of trailer 15 with the trunnions of the slag pot. The cut-outinside face 25 of floor structure 24 is contoured to clear the slag potin this position. Hoist 34 is then operated to lower hooks 33 andtrolley 30 is moved by its driving means 32 until the slag pot trunnionsare within hooks 33. The slag pot is then lifted by hoist 34 to itstraveling position above center bed section 17 of trailer 15.

When the apparatus arrives at the slag dump, trolley drive 32 isoperated to move trolley 30 and the slag pot suspended therefrom alongrails 29 to its position in cradle 37, as shown in FIG. 4. The bottomfaces 13 of trunnion bosses 12 rest on upper surfaces 44 of side members39 of cradle 37, against shoulders 45. The open side of hooks 33 andhook members 48 of cradle 37 face each other, and the respective hooksare offset from each other longitudinally of the trailer so that trolley30 automatically moves the slag pot into position on cradle 37 with itstrunnions within hooks 48. The depth of hooks 33 is made sufficientlygreat that they can be lowered after the slag pot is set in cradle 37,and withdrawn by reversing the movement of trolley 30.

The slag pot is dumped by actuating hydraulic cylinders 46. Their pistonrods 47 raise the inside ends of side members 39, causing cradle 37 andthe slag pot to pivot around shaft 36. That shaft is parallel to theaxis of slag pot trunnions 11 but outboard thereof, and consequently theslag pot is tilted to pour its contents well beyond the side of trailer15. As cradle 17 is tilted the center of gravity of the loaded slag potmoves outwardly until the balance point is passed, and the tilting ofthe pot is then caused by gravity. The stroke of cylinders 46 need onlybe long enough, therefore, to tilt cradle 17 just beyond that balancepoint, and contact between piston rods 47 and side arms 39 of cradle 37ceases beyond that point. Cylinders 46 then rest against stops 43. Ascradle 37 tilts outwardly, it pulls cable 56 and the continued tiltingof cradle 37 is controlled by admitting hydraulic fluid to the pistonrod end of hydraulic cylinder 49 so as to restrain cable 56. In thefully dumped position of the slag pot, (FIG. 10) cradle 37 is rotatedthrough considerably more than 90°. The slag pot is prevented fromfalling out of cradle 37, however, by the upstanding hook elements 48.After the pot is dumped it is rapped against the ground by pulling backand then releasing cable 56, and the cradle 37 and empty pot are rightedby operating hydraulic cylinder 49 to pull back cable 56. When thecradle tilts back to a position with the lugs 42 again engaging theouter ends of piston rods 47, they push down on those piston rods andthe righting of cradle 37 from then on is controlled by releasinghydraulic fluid from lower ends of cylinders 46.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION; SECOND EMBODIMENT

The second embodiment of my invention is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Itdiffers from the first embodiment above described only in the structureof the carrying vehicle. My apparatus identical with that previouslydescribed, and identified in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the same referencecharacters previously used, is carried by a wheeled trailer vehicle 60powered by a conventional single-axle tractor 61. Trailer 60 has aload-carrying center bed section 17 positioned between the wheels 62 oftractor 61 and wheels 19 of trailer 60 at a level approximately that ofthe axles of wheels 19. The front end of center bed section 17 isaffixed to a transverse torque tube 63 from which a centrally positionedforwardly projecting goose neck 64 is pivotally connected to trailer 61in conventional fashion, so as to provide for steering of thetractor-trailer combination. As shown in the figures, trailer 60 is notprovided with tandem rear wheels 19. It is not believed necessary todescribe this embodiment further or to set out its operation, which isthe same as that of my first embodiment. Trailer 60 is shown as beingprovided with conventional outriggers on its dumping side, comprisingvertical hydraulic cylinders 66 affixed to trailer 60 with downwardlyextending piston rods 67. Those piston rods are normally retracted, butare extended to the ground when the slag pot is to be dumped. It will beunderstood that such outriggers may also be provided for the firstembodiment of my invention hereinbefore described.

In both embodiments of my invention the empty cradle 37 must be tiltedwhen trailer 15 or trailer 60 is backed around a slag pot to pick it up,as otherwise the inside end of rear side member 39 will strike the upperedge of the pot.

In the foregoing specification I have described presently preferredembodiments of my invention; however, it will be understood that myinvention can be otherwise embodied within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:
 1. Roadway vehicle apparatus for transporting and dumping aslag pot provided with trunnions comprising a lowboy vehicle having awishbone-type frame open at the rear so that the vehicle can be backedto enclose within the frame a slag pot standing on the ground, a trackaffixed to the frame crosswise thereof and elevated therefrom, a trolleymounted on the track provided with means for lifting a slag pot from theground by its trunnions, means attached to the trolley for moving thetrolley on the track, a cradle for the slag pot attached to the frametiltable about a horizontal axis disposed normal to the track at one endthereof and elevated above the frame, means positioned below the cradleconnected with the frame for tilting that cradle so that it dumps theslag pot over the frame broadside thereof, and means attached to thatcradle adapted to receive the slag pot trunnions from the trolleylifting means when the cradle is upright, the slag pot lifting means andthe slag pot receiving means having side openings facing each otherwhereby transfer of the slag pot from the former to the latter isinitiated through lateral movement of the slag pot into the cradle. 2.Apparatus of claim 1 in which the slag pot lifting means comprise a pairof depending hooks and the slag pot receiving means comprise a pair ofupstanding hooks.
 3. Apparatus of claim 2 in which the slag pot liftinghooks are deeper than the slag pot receiving hooks so that the slag potlifting hooks can be withdrawn after the slag pot trunnions aretransferred to the slag pot receiving hooks.
 4. Apparatus of claim 2 inwhich the respective slag pot lifting hooks and the respective slag potreceiving hooks are offset from each other longitudinally of thevehicle.
 5. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the cradle is provided with adownwardly projecting lug inboard of its slag pot receiving means andthe means for tilting the cradle comprise a hydraulic cylinder andpiston pivotally connected at one end with the track below the tiltingaxis of the cradle and intermediate that axis and the lug when thecradle is upright and at the free end bears against the downwardlyprojecting lug.
 6. Apparatus of claim 5 in which the hydraulic cylinderand piston are affixed to turn the cradle from its upright position to alimiting position at which the center of gravity of the cradle andloaded pot is outside the cradle axis and then to disengage therefrom.7. Apparatus of claim 5 including means for restraining the cradlecomprising a cable connected at one end to the cradle inboard of itstilting axis, and means for extending or retracting the cable connectedwith the frame and with the other end of the cable whereby tilting ofthe cradle beyond the position at which the center of gravity of thecradle and slag pot is outside the cradle axis is restrained. 8.Apparatus of claim 7 including block and tackle apparatus through whichthe cable is threaded so as to reduce the travel of the extending orretracting means.